The science behind your late night snack addiction.

June 25, 2015

Image via iStock.

When I was younger, I used to dream of going away to boarding school so I could have midnight feasts just like they did in the Enid Blyton books I devoured.

It’s something that’s always puzzled me. Why, after being perfectly satisfied throughout the day, do I suddenly feel so hungry when I should be about to head to bed, or fast asleep? And is there a way to break the habit?

“I’m actually working with a client at the moment who is experiencing this phenomena, where you wake up during the night with hunger pains. It’s quite a common syndrome, especially in people with mental health issues and eating disorders,” she explains.

“In those severe cases, it is often treated using cognitive behaviour therapy and mood-altering medications, as it’s a result of hormonal changes which subsequently impact appetite hormones.”

For me, the late night cravings are usually for something sweet.

"There's no research to show whether people are more likely to crave something savoury or sweet, but anecdotally I find people are more likely to crave sweet things although many of my clients crave carbohydrates," says McGrice.

"Things like making sure that your bedroom is the correct temperature, going to the toilet before bed and putting a glass of water next to your bed so you don't have to get up if you wake up thirsty," she says.

And if you really must eat?

"Yoghurt and some fresh fruit make a great sweet evening snack as they're low GI, nutritious and satisfies people's sweet cravings," she says.